Wizards In Shinar
by Jedidragoon
Summary: (please R&R) Link and Zelda are on a diplomatic relations trip to a neighboring kingdom. Along the way they find themselves transported to another world. The world of Shinar. Where they are soon joined by three unexpected people, who they must work with t
1. Default Chapter

Wizards and Warriors

Chapter one

"Princess Zelda, Will you tell me again," Link said testily, "why you felt that you only needed one guard on this silly trip?"

Zelda frowned and gave him a disapproving glance. "Link, this treaty is important. I know it's all talk and no action, but we really need this treaty. You know we're rather ally-starved right now, and Marenga would be a strong ally," Zelda said.

"But why just me?"

"Because spies have infiltrated my guardsmen and you are the only one I trust with my safety…I've told you this already."

"The safety of a poor, defenseless Sheikah princess," Link scoffed. In return, Zelda gave him an exasperated look.

"Link, whatever is the matter with you this morning?"

"Well, let's see…you came to Lon Lon Ranch and woke me up in the middle of the night, then insisted I write Malon a note telling her that you required my assistance. I don't even want to think about how she'll react to that."

"Are you finished?" Zelda's voice was as sharp as the chill of icicles

"No, actually."

When Epona stopped suddenly and snorted, Link's first instinct was that the horse was startled by the angry chill between he and the princess. But when she tossed her mane and snorted again, Link's sword was out of his scabbard in a flash. Zelda reigned in her steed.

"Do you see anything?" Zelda said, peering nervously around at the dense forest growth around them.

"Nothing but trees," Link said sarcastically. "What is it, Epona?"

The hero patted her neck and felt her nervous twitching. He tried to reassure her, but the horse remained tense and alert. Beside him, Zelda's horse began to act similarly, rearing slightly and pulling at the reins.

"Link, remember when I said I required your assistance?" Zelda said, doing her best to calm her own horse while trying to keep an eye out for their own safety. "Well, start assisting. What's going on?"

"Well, if the queen of wisdom can't figure it out, I sure can't," he said, inching a nervous Epona further down the road. "Be prepared for anything."

But nothing could have prepared them for the ground giving way beneath them. They fell into a long winding tube of pure light, while in the clearing above them, the ground silently sealed itself.

The best days of Harry's summer vacation thus far were only just beginning. Diagon Alley was quite an exciting place to explore, especially when he had spent the greater part of the summer locked in his room with nothing to do but think of his Hogwarts friends and count the days til he would return there. After a quick but memorable trip on the Knight Bus, he was finally among his own kind. His room above the Leaky Cauldron wasn't half bad, and there were no Dursleys. Life, at the moment, was pretty good…but it could be better. Say, if Ron and Hermione were there.

As if she had heard his thoughts, Hedwig flew out of the sky and landed on his shoulder, affectionately nibbling his ear. He smiled up at her and stroked her chest with a gentle hand. She was still his only friend here, but at least the stranger witches and wizards were friendly and respectful to him.

"Come on, Hedwig," he said. "Let's find something to eat."

Diagon Alley had no shortage of eating establishments, but thanks to some people at the Leaky Cauldron, he knew where the best ones were. Following the directions as best he could from memory, Harry headed for the most highly recommended; the Centaur Café.

The Café was in sight; one narrow alleyway and he was there. But as soon as he set foot on the damp flagstones, it seemed the ground was no longer there beneath his feet. He fell into a tube of light like a waterslide.

Harry could think of nothing but survival. They were going so fast that Hedwig didn't have time to fly free, but could only hang on for dear life.

Meanwhile, back on Diagon Alley, the large hole closed up in silence.

Ron Weasley couldn't believe his luck; his brother Charlie had brought him along to explore a pyramid. It was something his other brothers had never done, and that Ginny was immensely jealous of him for. Charlie assured him that most of the curses had already been cleared, so he was safe to explore the anterooms, examining hieroglyphics and, albeit timidly, mummies.

Currently he was exploring a wing of the pyramid which Charlie had finished the day before. Still, the cold stone and thick shadows gave him the creeps. He kept his wand at the ready, wishing that Harry and Hermione could be there to enjoy it with him. Hermione, in particular, would have loved to spend hours deciphering the hieroglyphs.

Scabbers suddenly shrieked and leaped from his perch on Ron's shoulder as they rounded a dark corner. Ron tried to catch him before he hit the floor, but missed.

"Bloody rat, come back here! Scabbers!" Ron called after him, but the Rat seemed rather keen to scamper back the way they came, and not to go any further.

"What's wrong with you! Come back here!" He shouted, but the rat was long gone. Turning back to see what caused the rat to start, he understood all too well what had frightened it. Several large hairy spiders.

"Not spiders!" Ron whimpered, backing away stiffly. His nightmare was complete as the spiders, alerted by his shouting, began to advance upon him. He screamed and took off running in the opposite direction.

Ron paid no attention to the floor beneath his feet as he ran as fast as he could. When the floor disappeared from under his feet, it was a long moment before he even noticed.

"Ron?" Charlie said, peering around the corner from where he was working. He thought he'd heard something, but there was nothing but a dark, empty hallway. Shrugging, he went back to his work.

Even surrounded by the beauty of France in the summertime on vacation with her parents, Hermione Granger still found time to do what she did best…study. Her parents had attempted to lure her away from her books for a drive in the country, but she eventually won the battle. She had essays to write. Besides, Harry and Ron would surely be nowhere near done with the work when they were reunited, and she was sure they would need her help to finish theirs.

She rose from the table where she sat and went to retrieve her transfiguration book from her trunk. After quickly checking the answer to a question, she returned the book to its bag.

Her mind was so much on her homework that she didn't notice at first that the floor had vanished beneath her feet. She very soon noticed that she was falling at a very rapid speed down a twisting tube of light. Above her the boards of the floor slowly reappeared one by one.

Link and Zelda were the first to shoot out of the tunnel of light. Their horses hit the ground traveling at a dead run. As soon as they were free of it, Link yelled whoa to Epona. Epona reared up and came down with a neigh. Zelda reined in her own steed and guided her back to Link.

"What just happened and where do you suppose we are?" She asked.

"I don't know." Link sighed. "But definitely not in Hyrule. You do realize that Malon is going to kill me!"

"And how will she do that if…."

Zelda was unable to finish her sentence. A portal filled with light opened up in the clearing before them. A boy with messy black hair and strange foreign clothes tumbled out of it as something snowy white flew up into a tree. Zelda made a quick gesture and changed into Sheik.

The boy was feeling about on the ground for something, his eyes squinted in a strange expression. Zelda glanced at Link with confusion and saw the same reflected in his face. Unable to find what he was looking for, the boy scrambled to his feet, looking wildly about. His eyes soon fell on the princess and her guard, and he jumped visibly.

Another portal opened up behind him and a second boy bowled down the first. Link saw that this one was taller and had red hair. Then before either of them could regain their feet, a third portal opened. A girl with bushy brown hair landed on top of them.

"This is interesting." Sheik said, dumbfounded.

"Very," Link said.

The three of them quickly untangled themselves and scrambled to their feet. The girl spotted Zelda & Link and stared in amazement, but the boy with red hair was helping the black-haired boy find his spectacles.

Harry soon found his glasses with Ron's help. He replaced them firmly on his face and then turned his attention to the two strange figures on horseback. Their horses were gorgeous, especially the one rode by the man dressed in a green tunic and leather leggings, a distinctive medieval look. The second strange figure wore a unique costume that Harry thought resembled a cross between a Ninja and a mummy.

"Who are they?" Ron whispered fearfully, having finally noticed the two strangers.

"I think I know," Hermione whispered. "They look like characters in a Muggle video game… something about a Legend?"

"How do you know this stuff?" Ron asked.

"I'm Muggle-born, Ron…."

"What's a video game?" Ron asked.

"Hermione, if they really were from a video game, " Harry, who knew what a video game was, having seen Dudley playing them many times over the summer, whispered, " why would they be here?"

"I don't know, I'm just telling you who they look like to me."

The five stood staring at each other, not knowing what to say.

"Well, there's only one way to find out who they are." Harry whispered. "I'll ask them."

"Yeah, you go right ahead and do that." Ron said, giving him a weak pat on the shoulder.

"Thanks, Ron."

Swallowing hard, Harry slowly approached the two.

"I think I would prefer to be facing Buckbeak again instead of this..." He muttered.

Link watched the boy with black hair approach with apprehension, glancing quickly at the princess for diplomatic instruction.

"Who are you?" Harry asked lamely before he got too close to them.

"Sheik?" Link whispered from the corner of his mouth.

"Tell them our names, but don't call me by name..." she whispered.

"I know better than that…." Link hissed, then looked to the boy. "I am called Link and this is my companion Sheik, a Sheikah warrior."

"He's cute…." Link heard the bushy-haired girl whisper.

"Which one?" the boy with red hair asked.

"The Sheikah…."

"How can you tell?" The red haired boy rolled is eyes. Link felt just about the same way. He glanced at Sheik with a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Sheik, you have a admirer!" Link said out of the corner of his mouth as the girl, realizing she had been overheard, blushed.

"Oh, shut up." Sheik muttered.

"And who are you?" Link asked the black haired boy.

"I am Harry Potter. " The boy said. " And these are Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger."

The boy and girl nodded.

"Strange names." Sheik said.

"Yours aren't exactly common," Ron said.

Link quickly cut in.

"Do you have any idea where we've landed?" Link asked.

"No…were you two dropped here as well?" Harry asked.

"Literally," Sheik said sarcastically.

"Well, bugger…" Ron crossed his arms. "So where is here, Hermione?"

They all stared at her expectantly, but the girl shook her head.

"I have no idea…no idea at all," Hermione said apologetically.


	2. lurking danger

_**LURKING DANGER**_

Chapter two 

"Well, if you don't know where we are, miss, then I suppose we're really up a creek," Sheik said in an imperious voice.

"We're in a forest." Ron said in a sarcastic tone, defending Hermione.

Sheik glared down her nose at him. "Thank you ever so much for that helpful information," she said as she crossed her arms.

"Sheik," Link cut in quickly, "what do you suppose we do about transportation? We only have two horses and there are five of us. We won't get very far if they have to carry double or triple."

Sheik glanced at the horses and began to chew her thumbnail. "You're right," Sheik sighed. "We won't make very good time as it is through this forest without a trail to follow."

"I wish this was the lost woods", Link said, looking around at the trees and brush. "At least there I'm familiar with the dangers."

Ron looked up suddenly. His eyes were wide and almost bulging out of his head. With a quivering chin, he turned quickly to Harry.

"Harry…" Ron's voice trembled as he spoke, "you don't suppose there are giant spiders in this forest, do you?"

"I seriously doubt it, Ron." Harry said. "This isn't the enchanted forest, you know."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Ron, I'm positive," Harry rolled his eyes. "I've been there twice already. I would recognize it if it was."

At the mention of transportation, Hermione had produced her transfiguration book and began to frantically flip through it. She stopped about halfway through and began to scan the page. She ran her finger under the words until she found what she was looking for. With her finger under the sentence she wanted, she began to read very quickly.

"Hermione," Ron said as he glanced over and saw her studying the book. "This is no time to do homework!"

"I'm not doing my homework, Ronald," she said. " I am calculating the proper method to use in order to transfigure ordinary wooden sticks into broomsticks."

"Will they fly?" Harry asked as his eyes lit up.

The white owl flew down suddenly, landing on Harry's shoulder. Link watched in mild amusement as the owl nipped at his ear, trying to get his attention.

"Yes," Hermione said exasperatedly, "after I cast a spell that will reverse the gravitational forces imposed on the broomsticks."

"Did you understand what she said, Sheik?" Link asked.

"Only about every other word," Sheik replied with a baffled look.

"I could explain it to you, Sheik…" Hermione's eyes assumed a dreamy look. "We could find someplace where we could be alone and quiet…."

Ron groaned and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Uh…no!" Sheik hastily raised her hands. "That's quite alright, Hermione."

Hermione shut her book with a snap and turned to Ron and Harry. "Alright, you two," as she spoke she drew a long smooth stick from her pocket. "Find me three sticks about three feet long with no side branches except on the end."

"Right," Harry nodded.

While the two of them looked around the clearing, Link noticed the owl on Harry's shoulder kept its attention focused toward the far side of the clearing. She was looking at a thick cluster of trees with heavy underbrush. Before he could comment, Sheik interrupted him.

"So why don't you act like that anymore?"

"Like what?" He looked at her startled.

"The way those boys do with Hermione." She gave him a cross look. "They did as they were told. No questions asked."

"For one thing, they aren't married, as far as I know," Link said dryly, "and besides, I used to obey without question when I was a little boy who was trying to save Hyrule."

"Well!" Sheik sniffed. "You obeyed me when you were an adult too."

"I was a ten year old in a man's body!" Link protested.

"Then maybe when we get back," Sheik's eyes were dancing, "I should get the Ocarina of Time back out!"

"Sheik…." Link said in a warning tone.

The boys had returned dragging three large sticks. It appeared that several small twigs and branches had been broken off to accommodate Hermione. They laid them out in a row in front of Hermione then stepped back as Hermione pushed her sleeves up.

"What does the stick she has in her hand do?" Link asked Harry as Hermione raised it.

"It's just her wand," Harry shrugged.

"As in Magic Wand?"

"Yeah."

"I don't believe I've ever actually seen one like that. Ours are usually more ornate and jeweled," Link said as he studied it.

"There's more to them than just wood…there's a focusing agent inside, like a unicorn hair or a phoenix feather." Harry informed him, drawing out his own wand and showing it to Link.

"If the two of you are quite through," Hermione glared at them, "I would like to enchant the sticks sometime today."

"Sorry," Link said.

She began to speak some strange words as she moved her wand in rhythm to them. The sticks began to glow and throb. After a few minutes they reshaped themselves into three broomsticks. Hermione changed the words and gestures slowly. The three broomsticks began to rise slowly into the air, until the tip of her wand flashed. The broomsticks hung in the air for a minute and then fell to the ground.

"Thanks, Hermione!" Ron and Harry chorused in unison.

As the three of them began to pick up their brooms, Link noticed the owl growing upset. It began to frantically peck at Harry's glasses. As Harry looked at the owl, it pecked the lenses of his glasses and hooted.

"Quit it, Hedwig." Harry said in a firm voice.

Then Link felt Epona tense up under him. She snorted as her ears swiveled towards the place the owl had been looking. Link drew his sword, but soon resheathed it after he had scanned the area and saw no enemies.

"Link, what is it?" Sheik asked as her eyes scanned the trees.

"I don't know," Link's face was grim, "but that owl has been trying to tell us there was danger close by."

"Hedwig, what do you see?" Harry asked her.

"Hedwig? Is that its name?" Link said, but Harry did not have time to answer.

Suddenly, eight large men dressed in ragged clothing burst into the clearing. Clutching their brooms, Harry, Ron and Hermione moved close together. Harry brandished the wand he had been showing Link, and Ron reached toward his own back pocket. Then his face assumed a disgusted look. He changed his grip on his broom and tried to look fierce, failing miserably.

"Hi Yah!" Link shouted as he kicked Epona into action. She charged toward two of the men, slicing between them. One of the men raised his rusty sword with the apparent goal of chopping Link's leg off, but the hero was too quick for him. Link's sword whistled through the air, connecting with the man's neck and severing his head from his body. Bringing his sword up in an arch to avoid cutting off Epona's head, Link brought it down to cut deep into the second man's body with a sickening sound.

Before Link could free his sword, Epona whinnied and danced sideways. An arrow had suddenly sprouted from the neck of the man he had just killed. Link's experienced reflexes took over as he tightened his legs and hung on. Epona instinctively turned toward the source of the errant arrow, a ragged archer who was fending off Hedwig. The owl was using its wings to blind the man.

Hedwig flew off just in time for the man to see Epona bearing down on him. Unable to fit an arrow into his bow in time, the archer fell beneath Epona's sharp iron-shod hooves. Link could hear the man's bones being crushed as Epona trod back and forth on him.

* * *

Meanwhile, one of the men had gone for Sheik and tried to pull her from the saddle. The disguised princess vanished into thin air with a crack, leaving the man gaping at his empty hands. A lightweight cord flew over his head from behind and settled firmly around his neck, then Shiek reappeared, putting her knee in the middle of his back. He clawed at the nearly invisible cord that was digging into the flesh on his neck.

"Sheik!" Hermione screamed.

Sheik glanced over her shoulder just in time to see a fourth man raise a gruesome looking dagger. She bit her lower lip as she tried to decide the best course of action. Suddenly, the man stiffened and toppled over. Standing just behind him was Hermione with an upraised wand.

"Thanks," Sheik nodded. In response, Hermione turned bright red.

Sheik turned her attention back to the man she was strangling. His face was discolored by now and he had gone limp. After a few minutes, she let him slide limply to the ground.

"Sheik, about the man with dagger…he's not dead, just stunned. We can't perform killing curses, they're forbidden," Hermione whispered earnestly.

"Well, that's an interesting development," Shiek hissed, eyeing the stunned man.

* * *

In the distance, two men were advancing upon Harry. His wand was raised, but for some reason his mind was blank. They soon were close enough that he could almost taste the awful stench rising off them. One of them was armed with a pair of wicked looking daggers, while the other bore a mace that was larger than Harry's head. Harry panicked and shouted the first spell to pop into his head.

"Expelliarmus!" He shouted as he pointed his wand at them.

The two men went flying across the clearing. One hit a tree very hard and sagged down to the ground against it. The other vanished among a patch of brambles. Harry could hear the second man swearing and yelling.

* * *

Ron was backing away from one of the men looming over him. He was holding his broom like a club with his eyes fixed on the dagger the man was holding. He stopped as his back touched the rough bark of a tree.

The jagged smile of the man was only inches from his face. Swallowing hard, Ron fixed his eyes on the rotten stumps of teeth. He could smell the odor of the man's unwashed body. Ron's jaws snapped together to keep the vomit from leaving his throat.

"Blimey," he squeaked.

But the man suddenly dropped his dagger as his hands flew to his neck, clawing at something. He began to make gagging sounds as his eyes began bulging out of their sockets. Ron watched as the man's tongue began to protrude from his mouth. He started screaming as the man's face began to change colors before his eyes.

The man went limp and after a few minutes slid limply to the ground at Ron's feet. Behind the man stood Sheik, who was coiling a length of cord. Sheik crouched down beside the man to check his pulse.

"Are you alright?" Sheik looked up at him.

"What do you mean, am I alright?" Ron shouted, shaking fiercely. "You nearly scared me out of my wits."

"At least you're alive, to be scared out of your wits." She held up the dead man's dagger.

Ron swallowed hard. "Um…right," he said.

* * *

Across the battlefield, Link wheeled Epona around off the man she had thoroughly trampled into the ground. She reared up as a man bearing a long handled ax took a swipe at them. As the man backed away from the flailing hooves, Link reached into his saddlebag and whipped out his boomerang.

Upon seeing Link just holding a boomerang, the man threw his head back in laughter. A few minutes later Link's accurate throw caused the boomerang to crush his windpipe. The man's head jerked at an odd angle and made a loud crack. He fell to the ground dead.

Link stroked Epona's neck to calm her down. He caught a glimpse of Hedwig flying over to check on Harry. Epona soon settled down and stood snorting. He dismounted from Epona to retrieve his sword but paused to gaze around the clearing, seeing most of the men dead or immobilized. Ron was by a tree throwing up, or at least trying to. Harry and Hermione were gazing around the clearing with wide, bewildered eyes.

Link walked to the body of the man his sword had lodged in. Sheik was kneeling next to the corpse with two fingers laid on his neck.

"I really don't think he could survive that wound, Sheik," Link said as he bent to pick up his sword.

"Doesn't hurt to check," she said as she wiped her fingers on the grass.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked over to them, still warily carrying their wands. Hedwig seemed a bit more at ease, though the owl's eyes swiveled frantically in its head, looking in every direction.

"Who were they?" Hermione said, shellshocked.

"Don't know, but they were looking for us." Link took a cloth out of his pouch and began to clean his sword.

"How do you know that?" Harry asked. "They didn't say anything."

"Your owl." Link nodded at Hedwig. "He must have spotted them while he was perched in the tree."

"She," Harry said firmly.

"What?" Link gave him a puzzled look.

"Hedwig is a she."

"Sorry, Hedwig," Link apologized to the owl.

"Quite alright," she hooted, though Link knew he was the only one who could hear her.

"So Hedwig saw them!" Ron said, crossing his arms. "That doesn't explain why they wanted to kill us, and why they waited so long to attack."

"They were watching us to make sure we were the right people," Link resheathed his sword. "Ordinary bandits would have attacked regardless."

"Oh," Ron said sheepishly.

"But why would they be looking for us? We just got here," Harry asked.

"I don't know, but I plan to find out." Link turned to Sheik. "How many can still talk?"

"I'm afraid the five we took care of won't ever talk again." Sheik glanced at Hermione. "But, the girl did something to that one to make him too rigid to move."

Link glanced over at the man she was talking about, who lay rigid as a corpse. Whatever Hermione had done reminded Link of the effect Deku nuts had when thrown, though this didn't appear to wear off as fast. He briefly thought of how many times that would have been helpful, especially on a certain princess at times.

"Is he still alive?" Link asked her.

"Yes," she nodded.

"Remind me not to make her mad," Link told Sheik, winking at Hermione.

Sheik's eyes danced with suppressed amusement.

"You should teach that trick to us," Sheik began. "It could come in…."

"There's a man coming!" Hedwig suddenly hooted to Link.

Link looked towards the brambles where Hedwig was looking. He was just in time to see the man Harry had blown into the briars emerging. His skin was littered with red marks from places thorns had poked him. A few had broken off and protruded from his skin.

Before the others had noticed the man, Link dashed across the clearing. He had his dagger drawn as the man glanced up. Before the man knew what was happening, he found himself being slammed against a tree. Link's dagger was pressed against the skin of the man's neck. The man stared into Link's cold blue eyes trembling.

"Blimey," Link heard Ron say.

"One move and you die," Link's voice was low and filled with menace. "Now, you are going to cooperate with us, aren't you?"

The man nodded.

"Where are we?"

"Shinar, sir" the man stuttered.

Sheik came up quietly behind Link. "Where exactly is that?"

"I don't understand."

"Have you ever heard of Hyrule?" Link asked.

"Only from the man who…." The man's mouth snapped shut.

"The man who what?" Link growled.

"I can't say!"

Link slammed him hard against the tree.

"The man who what?" Link shouted.

"He told us not to tell," the man blubbered. "Said he would kill us!"

"Well, my friend here will kill you now if you don't tell us," Sheik said in a sweet voice. "Looks like it's not your day either way!"

The man turned pale and looked sick.

"Just tell us," Link stared him directly in the eye, "and I might decide not to kill you."

The man shook his head.

"Tell us," Link pressed the knife against the man's throat so a little trickle of blood appeared. He heard a soft squeal from behind him, and knew that Hermione had turned away.

"Alright!" the man screamed. "There were two men besides Lord Dilwyn! One with orange hair and the other with red snake eyes. The orange haired man told us two groups would be coming to this clearing. One from a place called Hogwarts, the other from Hyrule."

"Why did they want to you to find us?" Sheik asked.

"To kill you."

"Did they tell you their names?" Link asked.

A crazy gleam suddenly appeared in the man's eye. He began to giggle uncontrollably. Link let go of him quickly and backed off. The man's face became contorted and broke into a maniacal grin.

"The shadow master sends his greetings!" The man shrieked. "Tom Riddle and the Gerudo King send their greetings!"

He began to laugh and scream, alternating between the two. His voice growing higher and higher pitched. He gave one last loud shriek and collapsed to the ground, his eyes wide open and staring at nothing. Sheik stepped forward and checked the man's pulse.

"Dead," Sheik said as she turned to Link. "We know who the Gerudo King is, but who is this Tom Riddle and who is the shadow master?"

"I know who Tom Riddle is." Harry said in a quiet voice. Ron and Hermione moved closer to him, offering him their silent support.

"Who is it?" Sheik asked.

"Lord Voldemort." Harry said. Ron and Hermione flinched at the name. "He's the worst kind of dark wizard. He's a spirit who seeks out hosts so he can survive."

"Sounds like Ganon to me." Link wiped his dagger off with another cloth. "Though, Ganon only has one host, Ganondorf."

"Only Voldemort is worse," Harry's face looked grim.

"You've never met Ganon," Link held his dagger up, inspecting it.

"But Link," Sheik's eyes were troubled, "the sages sealed him away. He couldn't be back."

"Are you sure?" Link's gaze was level. "We sealed him out of Hyrule, not here."

"I wish you hadn't thought of that." Sheik said.

"I wish I hadn't either," Link resheathed his knife, "but if someone in this world was looking for a powerful ally they might have easily have summoned Ganon. Then Ganon would have revived Gannondorf."

"They also summoned Voldemort." Harry said. "Could Ganon have given him a body?"

Link grimaced.

"Yes, he could," Link nodded. "I've seen him give his own shadow life, as well as my own shadow."

"Why bring us here, though?" Ron looked around at them with a bewildered expression.

"Sheik and I have something in our possession that Ganon would want," Link said. "What we have would make him more powerful."

"While Voldemort wants revenge on me," Harry said.

"Why does he want revenge on you?" Sheik asked.

"Let's just say he's the reason Voldemort's in the state he's in," Hermione chipped in, eager to share what she knew.

"So why bring me and Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Weren't you with Harry?" Sheik looked puzzled.

"No!" Hermione replied. "I was in France on holiday."

"And I was in Egypt with Charlie," Ron said.

"I was in Diagon Alley," Harry shrugged.

"France? Egypt? Diagon Alley? These are all different cities?" Link asked.

"Diagon Alley is a place. The other two are whole different countries," Hermione replied.

The five stared at each other in silence, more confused than ever.


	3. Ocarina Mystery

1Ocarina Mystery

Chapter Three

"Well, anyway." Link gave himself a shake. "We need to get out of here if our enemies are looking for us."

"What about all this!" Ron made a sweeping gesture towards the corpses and their unconscious attackers.

"Leave them." Sheik said as she walked toward her horse. "The two that remain won't be in any shape to pursue us."

"Wait." Link went over to Epona and rummaged in his saddlebags. " I'll tie up the one that Hermione took care of. I don't want to leave him like that."

"Are you not afraid he'll get loose and come after us?" Harry asked with a worried expression.

"Not really." Link pulled out some coiled rope. "Would you come after someone who just killed five of your companions?"

"You're asking the wrong person that." Hermione said under her breath.

"I might." Harry said as he crossed his arms.

"Well, we'll take that chance." Link walked over to the stiff looking man and knelt beside him. "I can handle the two of them if need be."

While he was occupied with tying up the man, Sheik mounted her horse and the other three their brooms. Link looked over at Hedwig, who had flown back up into the tree. A slight smile crossed his face as he thought about the other owl he knew.

"Hedwig." He called to her. "Would you come here a moment?"

"She only comes when I . . . " Harry began.

He then stared with wide eyes as Hedwig flew over to Link and perched on his shoulder.

"How did you do that!" He demanded.

"I can speak with owls." Link gave him a boyish grin. "So far it's the only animal that I can do that with that I know of."

Link then looked up at Hedwig.

"How do you feel about doing a bit of scouting for us, Hedwig?" He asked her.

"It will be no problem at all." She hooted. "Should I begin now?"

"If you wish." Link nodded. "Will you be able to find us all right?"

"I am a wizard's owl!" She looked indignant. " Of course I can find you with no great difficulty!"

She took off and disappeared into the forest.

"What did you say to her?" Harry asked with wide eyes.

"Couldn't you understand me?" Link had never had someone watch him while he spoke with owls before.

"No!" Then Harry grimaced. "I guess your ability is like mine with snakes. Only someone else with the same ability can understand you."

"I suppose so." Link finished tying the man up. "I just asked her to do a bit of scouting for us. Nobody will notice an owl, so she will see more than one of us."

"She'll also be almost silent as well." Harry grinned.

"That too." Link stood up and dusted his hands off. "Now let's get out of here."

After Hermione removed her spell from the man, they mounted their various steeds and left the clearing in the direction that Hedwig had taken. Link noticed that Hermione had chosen to fly as close to Sheik as possible. He wondered what was going through Zelda's mind just then. Then he saw Zelda's expressions and knew what was. She glanced over at him and gave him a pleading look. He just grinned and allowed himself to bring up th rear. She gave him a glare that was meant to kill, but he just shrugged it off.

Ron seemed to be glad to take the lead, while Harry seemed content to fly next to Epona with Link. During the first hour, Harry seemed content to remain silent. This was fine by Link. He needed to get his thoughts in order.

From what that man had said when they question him, Link guessed that this Lord Dilwyn was the shadow master. It made him wonder if there were a counterpart who was the master of light. If so, then who was it and could they have been the ones to bring all of them there. Link frowned. If that person had brought them there, then how did Gannon, Dilwyn and Voldemort know they were here? Link sighed and shook his head. He needed more information, which he did not have at the present.

He looked at Zelda and Hermione. Malon's face appeared in his mind and he swallowed hard. He looked down at Epona's mane as his thought went back to LonLon Ranch where his wife was. Link saw her standing in the field where they let the horses roam. She was looking toward the gate with great longing in eyes. He thought he could smell her distinct smell of Hay and summer flowers. His face grew sad that would be what she would do every day till he returned. She would stand and watch for him, as she prayed he would return alive.

He always told Zelda that Malon would be mad at him, but in truth, he was angry with himself. He should not be away from her. He should be there with her, by her side. He hit his fist on the saddle horn. Why did Zelda always insist on him going with her? Why not someone else? She always said it was because she could trust him, but he felt it was because he was expendable.

"Malon," He whispered. "I miss you so much."

"What is wrong Link?" Link looked down at Harry to see a worried expression on his face.

"Nothing you can help me with, I'm afraid." Link gave him a sad smile. "I'm just missing my wife is all."

"You love her very much, don't you?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I do." Link gazed off into the distance. "I believe I have loved her since the day we met."

"When was that?"

"Would you believe when I was ten years old?" Link looked down at Harry.

"Yes, I would." Harry's gaze wandered over to Hermione. "You were just smart enough to recognize it."

"I suppose so." Link nodded. "Do you miss your loved ones as well?"

"I have them here with me." Harry said with a smile. " In that I am fortunate."

"What about your parents?" Link gave him a puzzled look. "Don't you miss them?"

"Yes, but that is an old feeling. " Harry looked sad. "They died before I was born."

Link felt ashamed that he had brought the subject up.

"Listen, Harry." Link began. "I'm sorry. I didn't . . . "

"It's all right, Link." Harry gave him a sad grin. " I'm used to it, sort of. People who do have parents ask me that all the time. So it is only natural for you to ask that question. I'm sure your parents were great parents to you."

"Well, I wouldn't know really." Link sighed. "My mother died when I was very little and I don't remember her. I have no idea who my father was and I don't think a Deku tree counts."

"What?" Harry gave him a startled look.

"The Deku tree is one of the guardian spirits of Hyrule." Link explained. "He resides in the lost woods and he has children who are known as the Kokiri. For a long time I thought I was one of them."

"How did you find out otherwise?" Harry asked.

"I grew up, Harry." Link grinned.

"What do you mean you grew up?" Harry looked confused.

"The Kokiri are children forever." Link said. " They always remain children, while I was born a Hylian. I grew up and became an adult and left the forest. I have a friend among the Kokiri, Saria, who is still the same age as when I was a child."

"That must have been a shock!"

"Oh, it was." Link nodded. "But I didn't really think about it till my quest was over. Then I had years to think about it."

Link saw that more of an explanation was in order by the look on Harry's face. He was about to explain, when Hedwig appeared and landed on his shoulder. He glanced up at her.

"There is a suitable clearing up ahead if you are inclined to stop and rest." She said.

"Let me check with Sheik." He said with a nod.

Then to Harry.

"I'll explain later." He said to him and then turned to look in Sheik's direction. "Sheik!"

"Thank the Goddesses." He heard Sheik mutter, then she shouted "What is it, Link!"

"Hedwig, says there is a good place to take a break at up ahead!"

"Fine. I am more than ready for a break!" She turned to Ron. "Follow the owl, Ron."

"Right!" Ron nodded.

"Lead the way, Hedwig." Link told her.

Hedwig soon led them to a grassy clearing that had a pleasant look about it. Link grinned. It seemed that Hedwig knew what she was talking about. Link and Sheik dismounted, while the others landed their brooms. Link and sheik pulled out some of their journey bread to share with them. Soon they all were seated in a rough circle and facing each other.

"I can't believe it is midday here." Link said as he leaned back against a tree. "You would think I would be used to time changes."

"It wasn't day time where you came from?" Harry asked in a startled voice.

"No, It was the dead of the night there." Sheik said. "We were on a secret journey."

"Oh . . . " Hermione grinned and fluttered her eyes at Sheik. "So you are like a secret agent?"

Sheik's eyes widened.

"A what!" She asked.

"A spy." Hermione said. "That would be so interesting to be a spy. Could you tell me about some of your adventures?"

"Um . . . I'm not really a spy." Sheik seemed to choke out and then turned to look at Link. "Link, How about you play us some music? You still have Saria's ocarina, don't you?"

Link almost smiled at the note of panic in her voice.

"Sure, It's in my saddlebags." He climbed to his feet. "Just hold on a moment while I get it."

"Hurry." He heard her whisper.

He chuckled as he walked over to Epona and began to rummage in his saddlebags.

"What's an ocarina?" He heard Ron ask.

"It's a type of musical instrument." Sheik replied.

Link felt his hand close over the Ocarina that Saria had given him. He pulled it out and then froze. It wasn't the ocarina Saria had given him at all. He swallowed hard.

"Sheik . . . " He heard the quiver in his voice as he turned and looked at her. "I think you should come look at this."

"What is it?" She asked as she got to her feet.

"This." He held out the blue colored ocarina.

Sheik hurried over to him and took it from his hand. She turned it over and looked at it. Sheik raised her head and looked at him with wide eyes.

"How?" She whispered. "This is impossible! You gave the Ocarina of Time back to me."

"I know." He said as he took it from her. "I also know that before we left I put Saria's ocarina in my saddlebags."

"Is something wrong?" Harry asked them.

Sheik and Link looked at each other.

"Not really." Link gave them a care free smile. "Just a little mystery is all. So what song should I play for them, Sheik?"

Sheik just shrugged, so Link guessed that the choice was up to him. As he raised the ocarina to his lips, the song of time flashed through his head. He figured it would be a safe one to play. The only thing it ever did was to make backs appeared and move. He began to play it and as always once he started he could not stop. Then he felt the magic begin and his eyes widened. Sheik must have felt it as well.

"Link!" She said in a panicky voice. "Stop playing right now!"

He could not though. Soon a bright light began to fill the clearing as he ended the song. The light flashed and Link had to shield his eyes. He gasped as the magic filled the clearing. Soon it was over though and Link blinked his eyes to get rid of the spots.

"Blimey." He heard Ron say in amazement.

"This all your fault, Link!" Sheik said.

Soon Link's vision returned and he could see what she meant. Instead of three teenage wizards, there now stood three adult wizards. Link felt weak in his knees and leaned on Epona for support. This was not supposed to happen.

"Now what have I done." He whispered.


End file.
